[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 132 (Friday, July 10, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 37370]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-18364]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. CP98-640-000]


Point Arguello Natural Gas Line Company; Notice of Application

July 6, 1998.
    Take notice that on June 29, 1998, Point Arguello Natural Gas Line 
Company (Point Arguello), 4000 Executive Parkway, San Ramon, California 
94583, filed in Docket No. CP98-640-000 an application pursuant to 
Section 7(c) of the Natural Gas Act to permit Point Arguello to 
transport natural gas over its existing facilities from near the 
Gaviota Gas Processing Plan, Gaviota, California to Platform Hermosa, 
in the Point Arguello Field on the Outer Continental Shelf, offshore 
Santa Barbara, California, all as more fully set forth in the 
application which is on file with the Commission and open to public 
inspection.
    Point Arguello states that its pipeline was built to transport 
natural gas associated with the crude oil production from the Point 
Arguello Field onshore to the Gaviota Gas Processing Plant. It is 
stated that without the pipeline natural gas not used in the offshore 
platform operations would have been flared or reinjected into the 
producing reservoirs. Point Arguello indicates that changes are 
occurring in the management of the oil production of the Point Arguello 
Field. It is stated that, in order to extend the economic life of the 
field, the oil producers are proposing to reconfigure their operations 
to reduce costs and streamline operations by moving the oil 
stabilization operations from onshore to the offshore oil platforms and 
to inject all surplus gas produced from the field into the reservoir. 
It is also stated that no further gas processing will be required at 
the Gaviota plant.
    It is indicated that the producers plan to reinject the surplus gas 
because gas production rates continue to decline and, as a result, 
levels of hydrogen sulfide are increasing, precluding the gas from 
being transported to shore. It is also expected that, in the near 
future, gas production rates will not be sufficient to support the 
offshore platform operations. As a result, Point Arguello proposes to 
transport gas from onshore to offshore.
    To implement this reversal of flow, Point Arguello proposes to 
reactivate an existing 100 yards of pipe near the gas processing plant 
and to install a valve in order to provide a direct connection with 
Southern California Gas Company. No other facility changes are 
involved. No changes to Point Arguello's cost of service tariff is 
proposed.
    Any person desiring to be heard or to make any protest with 
reference to said application should on or before July 27, 1998, file 
with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Washington, D.C. 20426, 
a motion to intervene or a protest in accordance with the requirements 
of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure (18 CFR 385.214 or 
385.211) and the Regulations under the Natural Gas Act (18 CFR 157.10). 
All protests filed with the Commission will be considered by it in 
determining the appropriate action to be taken but will not serve to 
make the protestants parties to the proceeding. Any person wishing to 
become a party to a proceeding or to participate as a party in any 
hearing therein must file a motion to intervene in accordance with the 
Commission's Rules.
    Take further notice that, pursuant to the authority contained in 
and subject to the jurisdiction conferred upon the Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission by Sections 7 and 15 of the Natural Gas Act and 
the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure, a hearing will be 
held without further notice before the Commission or its designee on 
this application if no motion to intervene is filed within the time 
required herein, if the Commission on its own review of the matter 
finds that a grant of the certificate and permission for abandonment 
are required by the public convenience and necessity. If a motion for 
leave to intervene is timely filed, or if the Commission on its own 
motion believes that a formal hearing is required, further notice of 
such hearing will be duly given.
    Under the procedure herein provided for, unless otherwise advised, 
it will be unnecessary for Point Arguello to appear or be represented 
at the hearing.
David P. Boergers,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 98-18364 Filed 7-9-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M